What you need to know
- Square Enix has revealed the release date for Visions of Mana, the latest installment of the Mana franchise, through a newly uploaded launch trailer.
- Visions of Mana is an action-JRPG that follows the tale of Val, a warrior charged with protecting his childhood Hinna as they embark on a pilgrimage to rejuvenate the life-giving Tree of Mana.
- Visions of Mana is scheduled to launch on August 29, 2024, for Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and PC via Windows and Steam.
On June 12, 2024, Square Enix had a new launch trailer for an upcoming Xbox JRPG called Visions of Mana, a new entry in Square Enix's long-running Mana series and the first new mainline title to be released in nearly two decades since Dawn of Mana in 2006.
In addition to showcasing the game's story and gameplay, this trailer for Visions of Mana also reveals its release date – August 29, 2024, for home consoles and PC.
For those unaware, Visions of Mana is an action-JRPG set in the beautiful fantasy world powered by a life-giving tree known as the Tree of Mana. Every four years, special individuals known as "Alms" are selected by Faeries to embark on a pilgrimage to sacrifice their lives to the Tree of Mana so they can rejuvenate its mana supply and continue to bring life to the world.
You play as Val the Soul Guard, a warrior tasked with protecting Alms from monsters as they make their way to the Tree of Mana. However, his mission is complicated by the fact that one of his charges, is his childhood Hinna, and she is reluctant to sacrifice themselves because she doesn't want to die and would rather spend their life with Val, whom she has strong feelings for.
Moral dilemmas will not be the only obstacle players will face, as they will be beset by hordes of ravenous monsters, which they will need to defeat in action-packed real-time combat. To achieve victory, players will need to take control of 3-person parties and combine their attacks together to form intricate combos that will overwhelm the enemies.
In addition, players can acquire special elemental spirits that will change the class of a character and alter their powers so they can use abilities that can take advantage of a monster's elemental weakness or provide support to the party. Players will also be able to enlist the aid of NPC guest party members at various points in the story to aid them.
The Mana series is back to enrapture diehard fans and a new generation of players
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I personally never played the Mana series growing up in the 1990s as I was more enamored with Square Enix's Final Fantasy series, Vagrant Story, and Parasite Eve. However, I am aware that some of these games are considered classics among JRPG fans for their addicting action-JRPG gameplay and lighthearted stories, particularly 1993's Secret of Mana on the Super Nintendo.
I'm happy for Mana fans to see their favorite series get a new mainline title after all these years, especially since this game is looking pretty good in the graphics and gameplay department from what's been shown so far.
Will Visions of Mana be able to live up to 18 years of anticipation and become one of Square Enix's Best Xbox JRPGs? Begin your journey to the Tree of Mana this August to find out when Visions of Mana releases on August 29, 2024, for Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and PC via Windows and Steam.
